D’Backs activate Max Kepler from restricted list

The previous four games were all versus lefties, but the D-backs are facing a righty today and Kepler still isn’t playing. One wonders if he might get released once Lourdes Gurriel Jr. returns. He’s hitting just .216/.282/.333 in 124 plate appearances, and he won’t be eligible to play in the postseason after his steroid suspension.

Kepler hit two harmless singles before coming through again with a two-run double in the sixth inning. He was 1-for-13 with a walk in his last five games entering play Monday. Kepler is hitting .235 with a .667 OPS and 14 RBI in 68 at-bats for the Diamondbacks.

Kepler put the D-backs on the board right away, taking Jack Perkins deep for a three-run blast in the first inning. He later added a base hit in the sixth and drew a pair of walks to reach four times on the day. The 33-year-old outfielder has appeared in 16 games for Arizona, hitting .240/.286/.420 with two homers and 12 RBI.

No word yet regarding how much time Gurriel will miss, but he’s likely facing a multi-week absence. His departure from Arizona’s outfield mix creates space of Ryan Waldschmidt and Max Kepler to play virtually everyday between center and left field, respectively. The 32-year-old impending free agent has hit .207 (36-for-174) with two homers, 21 RBI and one steal in 189 plate appearances over 47 games since making his season debut back on April 18.

Kepler singled in a run in the first and hit a three-run homer off Walker Buehler in the third. He entered the night 2-for-19 with no extra-base hits, RBI or walks since returning from his steroid suspension. He’ll play regularly against righties if the production is there, but nothing so far seems especially promising.

Kepler started the first two games after being activated from the restricted list, but he’ll take a seat against Rays’ right-hander Drew Rasmussen on Sunday. The 33-year-old is hitless in his first five at-bats for the Diamondbacks with one strikeout. Ketel Marte will function as the team’s designated hitter on Sunday with Ildemaro Vargas drawing a start at second base and batting eighth.

Kepler will have a chance to make his debut for the Diamondbacks after being suspended for the first 80 games of the campaign for violating MLB’s drug policy. The 33-year-old will likely get time in the corner outfield against right-hand pitching, but it’d be fair to say that a wait-and-see approach is appropriate in terms of a potential add to a fantasy roster. Tim Tawa will be optioned to Reno to make room for Kepler.

Kepler was suspended for 80 games in January, but now can begin play in Triple-A. The Diamondbacks have played 73 games thus far, so Kepler could be an option against right-handed pitching at some point next week.

Kepler is still serving an 80-game PED suspension announced in January, so he goes on the restricted list for now. The Diamondbacks will have him go on a rehab assignment in the minors and then decide whether they want him to be a part of their outfield. With Jordan Lawlar and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. getting healthy and Ryan Waldschmidt and Tommy Troy still candidates to step up, ideally, they wouldn’t need Kepler at all. But, then, if they thought that would be the case, they probably wouldn’t have made the signing. Kepler hit .216/.300/.391 in 127 games for the Phillies last season, and if he was cheating then, it didn’t seem to do him much good. He doesn’t offer as much defensive value as he used to, either. Maybe he’ll surprise, but he seems like a weak platoon option at the moment.

The substance that Kepler tested positive for is Epitrenbolone, using which violates Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The 32-year-old free agent outfielder will need to find a team willing to sign him first before he’s able to even begin serving that suspension. After a miserable season with the Phillies, that looks like a tall task at the moment.